Can anyone explain this?

[blakeyboy]

Roadworks, M40 merging onto M42, South East of Birmingham.

Speed limit 50mph.

Speed limit for the workmen, 11 mph.

Not 10, or 15, but 11.  All the way along.

Why the strange figure?

Is it to stop drivers mistaking it as their speed limit, where a number divisible by 10 is the norm?

[Old Money]

Run out of Zeros

[Peckris 2]

Obviously created by a Spinal Tap fan.

 

(By the way, the M40 and the M42 merge NORTH East of Brum - the SE is the merge of M42 & M5.)

[Rob]

34 minutes ago, Peckris 2 said:

Obviously created by a Spinal Tap fan.

 

(By the way, the M40 and the M42 merge NORTH East of Brum - the SE is the merge of M42 & M5.)

No they don't. M42 & M5 is a bit west of south. M40 & M42 is a bit east of south. M6 Toll and M42 diverge north-east of Brum.

As for the original question - I haven't thought about it before, but not a multiple of ten is a good idea. It can't be a conversion from 18kph, as that's equally odd,

Edited May 15, 2023 by Rob

[Peckris 2]

15 hours ago, Rob said:

No they don't. M42 & M5 is a bit west of south. M40 & M42 is a bit east of south. M6 Toll and M42 diverge north-east of Brum.

As for the original question - I haven't thought about it before, but not a multiple of ten is a good idea. It can't be a conversion from 18kph, as that's equally odd,

My mistake - I used to live south of Birmingham and in my mental map I was travelling due north on the M5 (really, NE) and therefore north east on the M42 (really, due east). Just goes to show that mental maps can lead one astray!

I stand by my Spinal Tap theory...

[Flash]

We've got a road nearby that's a 14mph limit. I believe it's done to make it more necessary to look at your actual speedo

[Old Money]

A study found that a speed of less than 11 mph 100% of cars stop for a pedestrian crossing., at 15mph only 28% stop for a pedestrian crossing.

Which would explain both road signs

[copper123]

Nothing explains why mutly and dick dastardly never win on whacky races though......

[Zo Arms]

4 hours ago, Peckris 2 said:

My mistake - I used to live south of Birmingham and in my mental map I was travelling due north on the M5 (really, NE) and therefore north east on the M42 (really, due east). Just goes to show that mental maps can lead one astray!

I stand by my Spinal Tap theory...

Where south of Brum, Chris? Spent my first 25yrs in Redditch. Couple of yrs in Leamington, then these last 30 down South. Pleased to say that I've nearly lost the accent.

I'm a Pompey boy now mush.😁

[1949threepence]

1 hour ago, Zo Arms said:

Where south of Brum, Chris? Spent my first 25yrs in Redditch. Couple of yrs in Leamington, then these last 30 down South. Pleased to say that I've nearly lost the accent.

I'm a Pompey boy now mush.😁

I know on the occasions I've spoken to you on the phone, Bob, I'd never have guessed that you were originally from the West Midlands, the accent from which is highly distinctive as we know. You sound like a guy from the South. It's funny, some people never lose their original accent, whereas others, probably the majority, do. I've lived in Warwickshire since 2001, and didn't think I'd lost my Essex accent - but when I return home, they say my accent has changed, and I pronounce some words differently. 

As for the 11mph limit, no idea. There may be a perfectly logical reason for it, although this is the 21st century, so logic probably doesn't enter the equation. I'd suggest to @blakeyboy that he contact the relevant council, but I'm not sure there's any point.    

[Peckris 2]

4 hours ago, Zo Arms said:

Where south of Brum, Chris? Spent my first 25yrs in Redditch. Couple of yrs in Leamington, then these last 30 down South. Pleased to say that I've nearly lost the accent.

I'm a Pompey boy now mush.😁

I worked in Redditch! At a software house that did the programming converting BL systems owned then by BMW, from mainframes to Oracle client/server - and before you ask I was the dinosaur monitoring the mainframes... (αλλά αυτό είναι πιθανώς όλα ελληνικά για εσάς;)

[blakeyboy]

16 hours ago, Old Money said:

A study found that a speed of less than 11 mph 100% of cars stop for a pedestrian crossing., at 15mph only 28% stop for a pedestrian crossing.

Which would explain both road signs

I will never forget the sad face of the old man as he slid across my bonnet.....

[Old Money]

3 hours ago, blakeyboy said:

I will never forget the sad face of the old man as he slid across my bonnet.....

My Grandad father died peacefully in his sleep, unlike his passengers screaming.

[Peckris 2]

I turned into my drive and collided with a tree which isn't mine.

[blakeyboy]

It is rather apt when discussing the Birmingham area to remember one of Jasper Carrot's better routines....

[Peckris 2]

11 minutes ago, blakeyboy said:

It is rather apt when discussing the Birmingham area to remember one of Jasper Carrot's better routines....

"What's that?"

"A castle"

"What's a castle?"

"I don't know, why do you ask?"

"Ask what?"

"I don't know"

"What's that?"

"A castle"

[blakeyboy]

....anyway he said it was his fault as he's been run over before......